Chain assembly



Jan. 1, 1952 F. w. PFL'EGER EIAL CHAIN ASSEMBLY Fi'led Feb. 7, 1949 f 5 f F Ihwentor M gm 5 .ZW/

Qttomeg Patented Jan. 1, 1 952 UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE Fred W. Pfleger 55a George E. Canham, West Orange, N. J.

Application February 7, 194?, Serial No. 74,985 2 Claims. (01. 59-35) This invention relates to chain assemblies 9. I? particularly to a chain assembly comprising at, plurality of preformed links adapted to be chained together without flexing or deformation. More.

specifically, the invention comprises a novel 5 construction which provides for the assembly of a chain link to link in one direction only; the last added link being adapted to prevent the unchain-; ing of the preceding link from the one before, etc

The particular advantages of such construction;.,-.

reside in the cheapness of processing and speed of assembly. 1.

The invention, however, will best be understood from the following description when read in con--' junction with the accompanying drawing which: H Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preformed link and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a plurality of the links m assembled relationship. 2 I The preformed links are of substantially identical size and configuration. Each link comprises an apertured portion 1, preferably in the form ;of an elongated plate, an entrant portion 2 disposed perpendicularly to the apertured portion at one end thereof and a reduced portion 3 connecting the entrant and apertured portions. The aperture-of plate I comprises substantially longitudinally and transversely disposed receiving and retaining per;

tions 4 and 5 respectively. The longitudinal per 30 tion 4 of the aperture includes an arcuate central section 4a which merges at one end with the transversely disposed portion 5 of the aperture.. The transverse portion 5 is located inwardly of the free end of plate I and its transverse edge adj cent the free end of said plate comprises an arc the same radius as that of the arcuate section Q A short distance from the point of merging w the transverse portion 5, the arcuate section 4a is provided with an elongated stepped straight; 40

section lb in its inner edge, and adjacent the co necting portion 3 the longitudinally disposed po' tion of the aperture includes a straight sectipn'; 4c merging with the arcuate section 4a and of; a.

length substantially that of the stepped sectitgn; 45

The entrant portion 2 is sized and contomjf for passage through the longitudinally disposed portion 4 of the aperture of another of the links To this end, the entrant portion is provided an arcuate section 2a adapted for passage through; the arcuate section la of the aperture of said other link and a pair of straight sections 2b 20 extending at diverse angles from the sides re; spectively of the arcuate section Ia; said straight sections 2b and 20 being adapted for passage through the straight sections 4!) and 4c respectively of the aperture of said other link.

The reduced connecting portion 3 is contoured and sized for reception by the arcuate section 40 of the aperture of said other link subsequent to the passage of the entrant portion 2 and for movement from the arcuate section into the transverse section of the aperture. Accordingly, said connecting portion 3 comprises an extension of the arcuate section 2a of the entrant portion 2 and is integral therewith and with the apertured plate I.

The steps in the assembly of a series of the preformed links will best be understood from an inspection of Fig. 2 in which the leftmost link is shown with the entrant portion 2 of the preceding link passed through the aperture therein and thereby locating the connecting portion 3 of said preceding link in the arcuate section 4a of the aperture. It will be seen that the leftmost link may then be moved into chained relationship with the preceding link in which position the connecting portion 3 of the preceding link is locatedwithin the transverse portion 5 of the aperture which is of a size to prevent the retraction therethrough of the entrant portion 2. In the chain assembly shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the entrant portion 2 of the first link at the right is blocked from movement into position for retraction through the aperture 4 of the second plate by the apertured plate i of the third plate and the entrant portion of the second plate is blocked from movement into position for retraction by the apertured plate of the fourth link. Therefore the novel construction provides that the leftmost link must be removed from the assembly before the preceding one can be removed, etc.

When a chain of the desired length has been assembled, it will be apparent that the straight sections 2b and 2c of the entrant portion of the last link may be bent with a pair of pliers, for example, from their preformed positions to prevent the retraction of said entrant portion through the longitudinal aperture of the preceding link thereby maintaining all of the links permanently in chained relationship.

Although we have shown and described a preferred form of our invention, it will be understood various modifications may be made in the configuration of the links and apertures therein without departing from the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A chain assembly comprising a plurality of substantially identical preformed links adapted dimensions less than those of the receiving portion and greater than those of the retainingportion of said aperture, and a reduced portion having dimensions less than either .-portion'of said aperture and connecting said rectangular por tion, at its end adjacent the. receiving portion of said aperture, with said entrant portion; the

entrant portion of a first one of said links being adapted by its aforesaid-J dimensions for passage through" the receiving portion and prevented from retraction through the retainingportion'of the aperture of a second one of said links,- the -reduced portion of said first linkbein-g adapted ,by-its aforesaid dimensions for reception by the receiving portion of the aperture of said second link subsequent. tothe passage of said entrant portion therethrough and. thereupon for movement from the. receiving portion into the retaining portion of the aperture of said second link thereby chaining the-two said links, and the blocking end of a third one ofsaid links being adapted for location in position to block the rec-eiving portion of the aperture ofsaid second link to prevent retraction therethrough of the entrant-portion of said first link upon chaining of said third link with said second link in accordance; with the aforesaid chaining of said second link'with said firstlink.

'Number therein and a blocking end; said aperture including a retaining portion located inwardly of the blocking end of the link and a receiving portion extending from said retaining portion toward the opposite end of the link, an entrant portion having dimensions less than those of said receiving portion and greater than those of said retaining portion of said aperture, ,anda ,reduced portion having dimensions lessithan either portion of said aperture and connecting said entrant por- 1 tion with said apertured portion adjacent the receiving portion of said aperture at said opposite'en'd of the link; the entrant portion of a first oneofsaid links being adapted by its aforesaid dimensions for passage through the receiving portion and prevented from retraction through the retaining portion of the aperture of a second one of said links, the reduced portion of said first link being adapted by its aforesaid dimensions for reception by the receiving portion of the aperture "of said 'second' link subsequent to the passage of the entrant portion theret'hrough and thereupon for movement from the receiving portion into the retaining portion of theapjertureof said'second link thereby chaining the two said linksf'and the blocking end of athi'rd'one of said links being adapted for location in position to block the receiving portion of the aperture of saidsecond link to prevent retraction. therethrough ofthe entrant portion of said first link upon-chaining 'ofsaidthird link with said second link in accordance with the aforesaid chaining of said second link with said first link.

' l t f FRED W. PFLEGER.

GEORGE E. CANHAM..

file of this'pateritz' UNITED STATES PATE N'rs' Name 'Date: 1,511,362 Petersf Oct. 14,, 1924 

